


Bully

by roguelebeau



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben is digging his own grave, Dubious Ethics, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Possessive Ben Solo, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey fights back, anger issues, redeemable Ben Solo, who doesn't think he can be redeemed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-19 14:18:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17003262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguelebeau/pseuds/roguelebeau
Summary: "Ben Solo is home from juvie, where he spent a year for hosting illegal drag races and he is a determent to exact revenge on the person he thinks sent him there - Rey."inspired by the novels Bully by Penelope Douglas and Fear me by B. B Reid.(Under Revision)





	1. The Son of Darkness is back

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, guys. :)  
> This is the first fanfic I've ever written. It's heavily inspired (meaning shamelessly plagiarized) by the novels Bully by Penelope Douglas and Fear me by B. B Reid
> 
> Now, I have never actually written anything that long in English (I mostly work with my native language and with Russian) so I am a bit worried about how this came out. Feel free to point out any grammatical and/or lexical mistakes you see. I'll try to correct and learn from them.

 

 

 

_Ben Solo is home from juvie._

_Ben Solo is home from juvie._

_Ben Solo is home from juvie._

This was the only thought that rang through Rey’s mind while she was furiously peddling her bike home. Her heart was beating fast, too fast and she felt like she could go forever. Or just ride her bike until she reached the Canadian border and ask the Canadian government for political asylum. Could she ask for a political asylum? No,no.. being the perpetual butt of the joke of a Senator’s  son probably did not count as being a victim of persecution. _Jesus, Rey_ , she told herself. _You’ve survived neglectful parents and foster parents for twelve years, but you are shaking because of an entitled rich boy, who makes fun of you for being an orphan._

Well making fun of her was just one of the things he did. He also spread rumours about her. Vicious rumours. Like in 9th grade when she got asked out by Dopheld Mitaka, he told him, loudly enough for her to hear, that she had drug resistant strain of hepatitis C. In the 10th grade, when Snap Wexley had kissed her on the steps of the school library, after caring her book bag there, Ben roughly pulled him away from her and told him to pay a visit to the free clinic as soon as possible.  Apart from that, thanks to him, Rey was never invited to party thrown by her classmates, has never had a date with a guy, and basically was afraid to open her mouth in every class she had with him. She even ate her lunch either outside or in the library. But worst of all, he constantly made her feel small and irrelevant, unworthy even of the (negative) attention he gives her.

_Now, that is ridiculous, Rey.,_ she scold herself. _You don’t want or need his attention, good or bad._

 She had to stop a block before her apartment building - her breathing was out of control and her heart was trying to jump out of her chest and run. Images of Ben Solo, looking at her like he knows something about her, she isn’t aware of herself, popped into her mind. Rey didn’t understand his disdain for her, she didn’t know what he was feeling and thinking when he looks at her like that, but she knew she had to stay away from him. And she did – she went out of her way to avoid him as if she is actually guilty of whatever he is judging her for. She even avoided thinking about him, which was harder, but necessary. Whenever  her thoughts betrayed her and she thought about him, she felt like a creep, like she is the one invading his personal space, like, by merely thinking about him, she is going somewhere she is not allowed.

Nevertheless, sometimes Rey allowed her thoughts to take her to a dangerous place. Her spoiled tormentor both intimidated and interested her.  Ben was the son of Senator Leia Organa-Solo and retired NASCAR driver Han Solo. Daughter of the extremely conservative and controversial politician, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa continued the family tradition by going into politics herself, though her political views were far more liberal than her father's. To say at least. She met and married NASCAR driver Han Solo, who was thirteen years her senior, when she was nineteen, but that did not stop her for building a name for herself in the ranks of the Democratic party. Han and Leia were two completely different people, who argued a lot but loved each other fiercely. After nineteen years of marriage, they were still America's favourite couple. Of course, Han was absent a lot in his earlier years, but he no longer raced. He retired and opened a successful car restoration business that he kept small and local so he could spend more time with his family after his wife was appointed Senator. Rey’s adoptive mom Maz and Han were old friends and Rey had heard numerous stories about what a scoundrel Han was before he met Leia and fell madly in love with her. Their love story was like a fairy tale – the princess and the scoundrel. Rey dreamed of finding love like theirs.

This is probably why Ben immediately caught her eye. Well, to be fair, Ben caught everyone’s eye, but to Rey it was a bit different. Five years ago, her impressionable twelve-year-old was already painting a picture of Ben, even before she met him. A very fairy tale like picture.

 Rey met Ben, about a week after she was taken in by her then new foster mom, Maz Kanata. She was twelve years old when Maz took her in. Miss Kanata was a very small woman, who stood at only 4' 9", with thick glasses. She looked like a strict librarian, but Rey quickly learned that she was actually an extraordinary person. Maz was an accomplished author of several beatnik-typed novels, based on her own life. And she had even more stories to tell. She also owned a small Bar and Grill called Maz’s Castle, which main purpose was to be a gathering place for her numerous friends. Later in her life with Maz, Rey would find that the little woman was also an extremely wise person, with an enviable skill to read people and situations. Her judgement was something Rey learned to trust immensely in time.

When Maz told Rey she wanted her to meet her friends, the Solo family, the orphaned girl was both  nervous and excited. None of her other foster parents has ever introduced her to their friends. For them Rey had only been a meal ticket. With Maz everything was different. In the short span of a week, her new foster mom had managed to make Rey feel like she belonged. It was a new type of feeling, one that the orphan never knew or thought she would ever know. It was wonderful and exciting but still made Rey a bit nervous. Maybe this was a test? What if the Solo family didn’t like her? Will Maz give her back if they don’t? The day the Solo’s were expected to come for dinner, she was a nervous wreck. Every time she would hear the lift moving, she fidget nervously in her new jean pinafore dress and kept her eyes on her sneakers. Of course, Maz had noticed how nervous the girl was. She had put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and had told her "Dear child, why are you so afraid? It's impossible for someone to look into your eyes and not see the beautiful soul you carry.".   

As it seems Rey was right to be afraid. Not from Han and Leia, who truly were wonderful and compassionate people, but from their son. She was expecting prince charming, but what she got was prince definitely-not-so-charming. He was a sulking 13 year old, who didn’t even give her a  second glance. Until she told Leia the story of the foster father  she was living with before Maz found her. His name was  Unkar Plutt dubbed The Blobfish by his many foster children. He was a fat, middle-aged , a salvage yard employee, who made her and his other foster children do his job at the junkyard, and only fed them if they brought back things he could sell. He also rationed their food depending on the quality of scrap each one of them brought.

Ben has snorted loudly and muttered “figures”. Han had to take the edge off and joked she was a Scavenger. She kind of liked the nickname, until Ben started using it at school. And of course, thanks to him everyone in school knew that story.  

***

In the beginning of the 11th grade Ben was caught hosting illegal drag races on his parent’s property outside town. If that wasn’t bad enough, some guy called Delphi Kloda was selling drugs to the audience, while the races were held. Leia had been so disappointed, she refused to pull strings for him and it was only because of Kes Dameron, a respected police captain and Ben’s best friend’s father that Ben got only a year in juvie.

Rey was sorry for what happened to him, but it would be a lie to say she missed him.  With Ben away, Rey was finally able to come out of her shell at least a little bit. She was finally invited and joined the school’s theatre group even though they had rejected her the previous year. Rey played The Woman in Death of a Salesman, which earned her an invite to her first school party, hosted by Jessica Pava, who played Linda.

But everything good has to come to an end. At least in Rey’s life, it always did.

And the end came with the last day of summer vacation before her senior year. She was just finishing her shift at “Maz’s Castle”, when  the captain of her high school volleyball team, Gwendoline Phasma and team mate Bazine Netal came in and sat in a booth that was in her section. Bazine, who was also Ben’s on and off girlfriend, was visibly excited, which was rare for the usually stone faced girl. Rey’s heart skipped a beat.

In hindsight, she should have known something was up. "Maz's Castle" was not the type of place that teenage girls would visit even if it did allegedly serve the best burgers in the whole county. Maz Kanata had a tendency to surround herself with the most interesting type of lost souls. In the two decades, the establishment has been opened, it had become a safe haven for all types of scoundrels, small-time thieves, smugglers and con artists,  but overall just good people, who were down on their luck. Not exactly dangerous criminal minds, but not the type of people that the CPS would approve of Rey being around if they knew (or cared). Maz had a good and generous soul, and the understanding she gave her customers and their situations have earned her their respect and loyalty.

Yep, definitely not a place where the golden children of Aldera High would be caught dead. And yet, there they are.  Rey should have asked someone to take her table, but instead she approached the booth with a careful smile on her face.

“What can I get you?”, she tried to sound friendly, instead it came out fake chippy. Her voice has always been a bit of a traitor.

“Rachel!”, Bazine smile turned predatory when spoke the wrong name. Intentionally. “Just the person I wanted to see.”

_That’s not good._ Rey’s fake smile faded a little, but she forced herself to keep it.

“It’s Rey, not Rachel. Just Rey” Phasma corrected her friend, but it did not sound like she was doing it to be nice.   _Just Rey_

“Yes, of course, I’m sorry Rey”, Bazine put her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand in a way that gave Rey a good look at her cat like nails. As always - painted black. “Ben always calls you The Scavenger, so I guess I forgot. Speaking of  my Benny, I know how much he looooves the burger here and I wanted to get him one or two as a surprise, since, you know, he’s coming home today.”

Rey almost rolled her eyes. Ben Solo has never stepped foot inside Maz’s Castle. It was beneath him. How would he know what burger here tasted like.. and then it hit her. Bazine didn’t come to buy a treat for “her Benny” , she came to tell Rey that he’s out of juvie and see her face when she found out.

Rey tried to compose herself before speaking.

“Thereistwoforonespecial, I’llmaketogo.” _Damn it! That was supposed to sound calm and collected. Stupid. Treacherous._ _Voice_.  Rey cleared her throat before continuing. “Anything else?”

“Whatever you said is just fine..”

Rey wanted to whip that condescending smile of  Bazine’s face.

After that it was all a blur for Rey. She finished  with Bazine’s order, changed out of her uniform and hopped on her bike. Then there was something about seeking asylum in Canada. And now she is sitting on the pavement trying out breathing exercises she saw on youtube.

When Rey finally caught her breath and headed home, she forced herself to think about something else, something that made her happy, in hopes that Maz would not ask her what’s wrong. Rey has never told her adoptive mom about Solo's bullying, because she didn't want to worry her, or to jeopardize her friendships with Han and Leia. Somehow she'd managed to hide it, even though Maz could see that the girl avoided Ben every chance she had.  "He is a bit difficult to get along with, isn't he." she would say sometimes with knowing eyes. Rey knew that Leia would have confided to the small woman about the troubles Ben causes at school, so Rey would just shrug and say they don't run in the same crowd.

_Crowd…_ Rey only had Rose Tico in her corner. Another orphan and the only girl in the how school, who was far too busy studying in hopes of getting an academic scholarship to MIT to care about high school hierarchy. Rey admired her for that.  She missed Rose this summer. The petite  Vietnamese  girl has been gone for the whole summer, spending it at Space camp.

_Freakin’. Space. Camp._

Rey sighted and tried to compose herself before entering her apartment.  Maz should never know something is bothering her, apart from her best (and only) friend being way for the whole summer. The moment she walked through the door and saw the chaos inside, it hit her. She had completely forgotten.

_Maz’s latest book just came out and she is leaving for a book tour around Europe. For three months._


	2. Breathe, Rey, breathe

 

Hearing the slamming of drawers from the master bedroom, Rey's mood immediately improved. She felt her big toothy grin spread on her face when she approached Maz's room. Leave it to her adoptive mother to start preparing for a three month long trip in the last minute. One would think she would have learned by now - the woman has spent her whole life travelling.

Rey poked her head through the door and barely contained her laughter. Every piece of clothing Maz owed was on the bed, the floor or the vanity and a half-full suitcase was lying on the bed opened. The little woman was pacing around the room, opening and closing drawers, lifting pieces of clothes and throwing them either on the floor or in the suitcase.

"Maz?" asked Rey, barely containing her laugh. "Do you need help?"

Maz looked up startled.

"Oh, child, thank God you are home. I have that nagging feeling I am forgetting something..."

This time Rey could not help but laugh. She knew exactly what her adoptive mother was forgetting _. Every god-damned time._

" Did you get your prescription filled? " Rey asked tenderly, taking Maz’s hand in her own in hope that would soothe her.

The look on Maz's face told Rey she was right. Her adoptive mother was born with a condition called Hypopituitarism but was diagnosed pretty late in her teenage years. She's been on hormonal therapy her whole life.

The little woman sighed and sat down on her bed. Rey followed her, still holding her hands.

 " I've been feeling so guilty for leaving you alone for so long during your senior year, I completely forgot about my medication."

" Maz, we've been through this. I'm eighteen, I’ll be fine. I know how to take care of myself and Leia, Han and uncle Chewie are here   if anything happens. And you know me; I'm not exactly the partying type..".

Maz sighted again.

" Sometimes I wish you were at least a little bit. I'm not worried to leave you alone, child, I am worried that you will be lonely".

Rey felt a little tug at her heart. She was always a bit lonely. She gently squeezed the little woman's hands to assure her.

"I know you're here for me, Maz, even if you are an ocean away. And Rose is coming home tomorrow.  Now calm down and finish packing, I'm gonna run to the pharmacy to get your prescription filled. I need to get some.. stuff for myself, anyway."

***

Someone somewhere was laughing at her expense, Rey was sure of that. She took off to the pharmacy relieved that she can avoid Maz and her knowing gaze for a bit longer, and she was currently taking her sweet time choosing a new nail polish while waiting for the pharmacist to fill the prescription. And then she heard a voice she knew all too well.

"Wait, bro, I'm out of condoms."

It wasn't HIS voice, but HIS usually fallowed. Instinctively Rey got down on her knees, hoping they won’t see her there. A little too late she noticed that the condoms were right next to the nail polish.  _Seriously, who puts condoms next to the nail polish? Have they always been here, or is the universe playing a joke on me?_

She didn't have time to get up, before Poe Dameron, Ben's closest friend came out from the corner and strolled down the aisle towards her. Rey couldn't help but take in his handsome features. He was gorgeous and he knew it. Poe was a big flirt, but everyone knew that he only had eyes for his girlfriend Jessica Pava, another member of the volleyball team and easily the most beautiful girl at Aldera High. As if that wasn't enough, Jess was also extremely smart and kind to a fault, and judging how she handled Poe - kind of a fighter. Poe always behaved when she was with him.

When Poe reached her, Rey looked up at him, unsure what to do. Usually, he never paid her much attention and didn't join Ben when he was taking jabs at her. This time though, when his eyes zeroed on her, a strange smirk appeared on his face.

" Bro, come over here. This is going to make your fucking day," he called out to someone, without taking his eyes of Rey. " Don't get up, Kanata; you are in a perfect position to great Solo."

_Damn..._

Rey looked down and let her curls fall like a curtain in front of her face. While Solo was at juvie, she had decided to change a few things in her appearance, that she wouldn’t dare when he was around. One of those things was her hair: she forgo her usual bun on the top of her head, the same type of bun she had when her parents abandoned her and started wearing it curly at shoulder length. She also started wearing red lipstick that she thought went lovey with her toothy smile. _Nice job, Rey. You were supposed to use the time you were free from Solo for personal growth.. and what did you do? Changed your hair and put lipstick on. Moron!_

Rey tried to will herself to get up, but her legs were not listening to her. She felt like a helpless prey waiting for the predator to sink his teeth in.

Another form suddenly turned the corner and a much too large pair of combat boots stopped in front of her. Rey looked up, hastily shaking her hair from her face. He looked bigger, more muscular...

_How the hell did that come out of the petite senator?_

_Is he trying to achieve a door shaped form?_

He had a scar, that looked relatively recent, running from his eyebrow and down his cheek. It appeared that whatever made that missed his eye by a hair.

"Leave us," his voice was soft when he turned to Poe, but Rey knew it was a command.

He watched Poe go down the aisle and turned the corner before returning his gaze to Rey. He then extended his hand to her, as if to help her up with an unreadable expression on his face.  Rey hesitated for a second, but then took it.

"Thank you..."

But he didn't let go of her hand when she got up. Instead, he guided her toward the shelves until her back was leaning on them.

Rey's eyes looked around for the pharmacist. He was nowhere to be found, probably still taking care of Maz's prescription.

She tried to turn around towards the cashier counter, but he put his left hand on the shelf next to her shoulder effectively blocking her way. Only then did he let go of her to carefully lay his hand on the shelf on her other sight. She was caught.

She swallowed and bit her lower lip when he bent down so they can be on eye level. His dark eyes bore into hers as if he was searching for something. He sighed.

"Rey,"  he paused. The way he said her name was different than the usually did. Soft, but with a hint of disappointed. Like she was child, who just drew on the wall. " Rey, you know Poe's dad is a cop, right?"

Rey furrowed her brows and nodded. What point is he trying to make with that?

" He told us Rey... he told us that you were the one who tipped off of the police about the races."

" Wha.. no, I didn't!"  _Oh, God, no..._

"The anonymous call came from your cell Rey," he looked hurt, betrayed, like a lost puppy, but there was also something else in his eyes. Something Rey couldn’t entirely figure out, but she definitely did not like.

"Why did you do it, Rey? What have I ever done to you that was so bad?"

He looked so sincere when he asked her that question, Rey almost fell for that. She had a long list of things "he'd done to her." But she didn't call the cops on him. She didn't even know about the illegal drag races, before he got arrested.

" I-I lost my phone the day you got arrested.. I  swear i would never.."

He cut her off.

 "Don't lie to me, Rey!" He growled, but then quickly composed himself. His face, once again, an unreadable mask. "Others might fall for your wide-eyed innocent act, but I know you. I know how treacherous you can be. I remember the day we met, how you batted your eyelashes and told my parents that ridiculous sob story about scavenging for food. They might have fallen for it, but I didn’t. I knew what you were after..."

" I was twelve, asshole!"

_Oh, god...  did I say that out loud?_

"Ah, there she is, the Rey we both know is in there, hiding, " his eyes darkened and a little lopsided smile appeared on his face.

He pushed himself away from her and ran his fingers through his hair.

She opened her mouth to proclaim her innocents again, but he cut her off.

" You took away my freedom for an entire year, Rey. I spend a lot of that time thinking about what I would do to you once I caught you alone," he raised his hand as if to touch her hair.

Rey cringed. His hand hung in the air.

"Y-you can’t …, "she paused. He hasn’t actually said he’ll do anything to her. And he has never physically hurt her or touched her. " It wasn’t me, Ben!"

" Don’t say my name!" he growled, baring his teeth.

And again he immediately composed himself. Like Jekyll and Hyde…

"I’m late for something, but we have more to talk about. I’ll pick you up tomorrow for school."

" No, Rose is picking me.."

"We’ll see…"

And just like that he was gone, leaving her to digest what had happened.

He scared her when he just didn’t like her. And now he hates her..

_Damn it. Should have gone to Canada…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.  
> A few notes.  
> The character of Maz inspired by the lovely Linda Hunt.   
> The sentences in cursive are Rey's internal thoughts. :)


	3. The cards are down

On Monday morning Rey woke drenched in sweat.

 _Night sweats... night sweats caused by anxiety fueled nightmares_. She thought bitterly.

She used to get them all the time during the first few months of living with Maz. It wasn't that Rey did not like how her situation changed. On the contrary, for the first time in her life, Rey was starting to feel safe and cared for. She should have been perfectly content and Maz was going out of her way to make the girl feel like she belonged. But at night Rey's subconscious took over, and all her fear, all her abandonment issues came to life. She could never remember those anxiety dreams fully, just bits and pieces, her parents' faces, Plutt's face, moments from her time living in neglect, twisted pictures of real and imaginative monsters - all of them seem to fuel a little treacherous voice in the back of her head.

_"Everyone leaves you. Your parents left you because they’d rather spent their money on drugs than on you. You come from nothing. You're nothing. "_

Maz was worried and wanted her to start going to a therapist, but at that time Rey thought that would mean she was broken and she didn't want to feel that way. Even her foster mother encouragement could not sway her. So instead Maz gave her a journal. "Whenever you feel that fears are trying to take control, write them down, and write your nightmares down. With giving them a form of sorts, through your own words, you'll take away their power, they'll seem more conquerable."

Of course, Maz was right. That journal it didn't just become her closest confidant, it helped her figure a lot of things for herself. Pretty soon, the nightmares went away and the little voice inside her head didn't dare to show himself.

And then Ben happened. Freshman year of high school she had been glad that she knew at least one person - him. But he didn't talk to her, didn't even acknowledge her existence, although they had several classes in common.  Back then Ben still had a sort of the quiet nerd vibe going on for him, so Rey decided she should be the one to initiate a conversation. She found him at lunch period, sitting with three other boys, she would later know as Poe Dameron, Finn Storm and Armitage Hux. Armed with her wide toothy smile, she approached him and asked if she can sit with them. That's when she saw the darker side of him, the one that seemed to come out only when she is around.  He had looked at her with darkened eyes, but otherwise unreadable expression and had said with venomous detest in his voice: "You? A scavenger?"

She understood what he meant. She wasn’t good enough for him or his table. When she got home, Rey wrote the whole incident in her journal. And then the next one.. and the next one. In time, her journal for fears became a journal for Ben. Everything he did, everything he made her feel, every dream or nightmare she had about him.

Laying in the dark, while waiting for her alarm to go off, Rey tried to remember her nightmare. She could only recall bits and pieces again, not even enough to get the gist of it. HE was definitely there. Once again Solo had managed to get inside her head and bury himself so deep, she'll probably need a neurosurgeon to get him out... What was he doing there? She couldn't remember. Just those intense dark eyes and his deep, but soft voice. She couldn't make out the words he said, but that voice.. it's like it left a mark on her heart. Her eyes flew open. She was naked in her dream, standing under his gaze, completely exposed, body and mind. It wasn't sexual; it was the highest point of humiliation she could imagine.

Putting her palms down on both of her sides, she pushed herself in a sitting position, her back leaning against the back of the bed. She reached to her nightstand and took out her journal. Before she could though her alarm went off.

 _After school then_.  She threw her journal on her nightstand and took her phone to turn the alarm off.

She blinked twice staring at the screen to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. There was a message from Rose. From 3 o'clock in the morning.

_That is not good._

Rose wasn't a night owl. She liked her sleep too much.

**Rose Tico:**

**Rey, can't pick you up tomorrow, probably won’t be there for first period! CHAOS ERUPTED HERE! Will explain later!"**

A little Ben popped into her mind wearing a smirk. _We'll see..._

_He got to her! He fucking got to her!_

Or it was just a coincidence and she' been watching too many Law and Order reruns. Nevertheless, something was going on. This was completely out of character for Rose.

Rey gave out a sigh and got out of bed. Whatever it was, there was no point thinking about it now, she had to wait and see Rose at school. Now she was in desperate need of a shower.

***

Rey was all dressed up in a short A-line leather skirt and a white sleeveless shirt and was putting the final touches to her hair with a curling iron when Maz knocked on her door.

" Rey, child, hurry up. Breakfast is ready and we have a guest!"

" Almost ready, Maz!"

Quest? Guess, Rose made it after all.

She finished with her hair and applied lipstick in a hurry. She could already smell the banana pancakes, her favourite and the ones Maz always makes before she had to eave for an extended period.

She padded towards the kitchen, ready to take a friendly jab at Rose for not being able to miss one class.

But when she walked in and saw the guest, she froze - it was definitely not a petite Vietnamese girl.

Someone. Somewhere. Laughing.

Ben Solo was sitting on the kitchen counter eating pancakes. Her pancakes!

"Uuurrrrgh!"

Maz looked at her with amusement.

"Rey.. did you just growl at young Solo?"

" Nooo...," _I was growling at you!_  "Why is he eating my pancakes?"

She meant to say "What is he doing here?'"

Maz laughed and looked at Ben.

" I should have warned you, young man, it's dangerous to stand between Rey and her food."

Solo gave out a noise that sounded like something between a huff and a laugh.

" I told you yesterday I'll come to pick you up, remember?" he said through a mouthful of pancakes.

"Nooo... I mean yes, but I told you Rose is picking me up!"

"Is she?"

He did get to her!

"No, but that is not the point!" Rey couldn't contain the annoyance in her voice. First, he was in her dream, now he is her kitchen eating her pancakes. Too much Solo, and it wasn't even 8 o'clock yet.

Eyeing her curiously, Maz carefully pushed a plate with pancakes toward Rey. She did very theatrically - as if the girl was going to bite her hand off.

"Young Solo, stopped by to pick up a spare key for Leia. Just in case."

Rey wanted to yell "No!" on top of her lungs. Instead, she sat down on the counter and started pushing as much of the pancakes in her mouth. No need to worry Maz, just before her flight.

" Speaking of Leia, how is your mother, young Solo?"

" Tired. She's buried herself in her work.  Han is trying to convince her they need a vacation, but you know her - more married to her charities than to her family," he answered bitterly.

" Don't be hard on her, young man. I do hope you realise that you broke your mother's heart. The only time I've seen her so down was right after her adoptive parents died."

 _Adoptive parents?!_ Rey's ears perked but she kept her gaze on her plate, eating mechanically.

"I get that, Maz. And if I didn't Han certainly reminds me every chance he gets." he whipped his face with his hand. " I am trying, okay! But I need a break, too."

Rey looked at him. At that moment he looked so much older than a teenager. He was Atlas,  with the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. Rey desperately wanted to touch his scar, but instead, she just stuffed her last pancake in her mouth.

Barely managing to chew it with closed mouth she made a sign to them, that they needed to go. Solo stood up and picked her book bag.

_What a freaking gentlemen…_

Maz gave her a long goodbye hug.

"Remember, child, we’ll skype every day and your uncle Chewie will come by when he can to check up on you."

Rey was about to remind her again that she was eighteen, but then she saw that although the little woman was talking to her, she was looking at Solo.

_Maz, you must be a mind reader!_

***

The walked towards his car in silence. Uncomfortable, maddening silence. Rey walked a  step or two behind him, feeling like a child being called to the principal’s office. At some point, she notices he was putting the spare key Maz gave him on his own keychain. A chill ran through her body.

_Probably so he won’t lose it before he can get it to Leia. Seriously, Rey... no more Law and Order for you!_

When they reached his car, dubbed for some reason The Silencer, he opened the passenger door for. _How kind of him,_ Rey thought bitterly. Though maybe she was wrong, maybe he wanted to apologise for yesterday. But then, before she could say, "thank you", he grabbed her not too gently by the back of her neck and guided her into the car.

_Maybe not._

It didn't make matters better for Rey when he got into the car and drove to the opposite direction of their school. Towards the woods near the town. Toward that exact secluded place, where his parents had properties and where he hosted the drag races.

_This is it, this is how you die, Rey._

_Your tombstone will say:_

_"Here lies Rey Kanata._

_She lived a short  and miserable life, full of fear and abandonment issues."_

When they passed the town exit sign, Solo started driving fast.. too fast.  She looked at him carefully. His jaw was painfully clenched,  his eyes looked determined, his hand grasped the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles had turned white. An angry vein was pulsating on his temple. And the scar... it just complimented his whole demeanour perfectly. He didn't give any sign of slowing down.

_Murder-suicide then._

It seemed her fate was sealed, so with nothing to lose she turned to him with all the courage she could master.

"Stop the car!"

He didn't even spare her a glance and she wondered if he even heard her. No, this time he was going to hear her.

"Solo, stopped the fucking car before you kill both of us!" the tone of her own voice made her shiver.

Once again, he completely ignored her. But he did pull over. Rey looked around trying to find something familiar in their surroundings. She didn't recognize the place and she wondered if she would be able the find her way back if he left her there.

She then took a deep breath and looked at him, ready to yell at him, and maybe proclaim her innocents again, though that was secondary on her mind. But she stopped herself.

Ben's right hand was still clutching the steering wheel tightly, but his left was rubbing his eyes. He looked exhausted.

" Ben?" she asked carefully.

"I told you not to say my name," there was no menace in his voice. He sounded cold but also drained.

"Okay... " prince of darkness" " she hesitated. "Can we just.. can we talk like adults about this?"

She thought she saw a small smile tug at his lips when she used the nickname, but maybe she imagined it.

" Adults..., " he sighed. " Is that the way you see yourself, Rey? As an adult? Just because Maz lets you do whatever the hell you want? Do you even know the meaning of the word?

 _Look who's talking_..

"  And yet, instead of talking to me for whatever kind of problem you have with me, you decide to call the cops on me."

 " I swear it wasn't me! Ben, please!"

He finally looked at her. Eyes dark with indignation.

" I don't have the patience to deal with your lies and explanations, so shut up and listen to me. I am not going to repeat myself."

His hand went to the back of her neck, holding her into place. His eyes bore into hers, and she felt just like she did in her nightmare.

"Keep your eyes on me. I want you to fully comprehend how serious your situation is."

She nodded, suddenly unable to form words.

" I have a score to settle, Rey and it directly involves you. You see I don't trust you to not poke your nose where it doesn't belong again.So from now on, you won't make a move without me knowing. Any time you eat, sleep, breathe I will know. Every each and one of your moments is mine. I will always know where you are going and what you are doing.  You are mine - at least for the next year, "  he smirked at the last sentence.

" Who the hell do you think you are?" Rey was shaking, but this time not from fear., but from anger. Images of Plutt threatening her like a slave, calling nothing filled her head.

_Never again..._

" I am the person whose freedom you took for an entire year. I am the person whose future you doomed with one phone call. I am the person, who thanks to you, has nothing to lose," his clipped tone cut into her nerves." and finally, I am the person who is going to put you back into your place, Scavenger.

_He's gone mad._

" What do you want, Be.. Solo?"

"Your innocence, " - he shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world. " But not yet. You are not getting off that easy."

 _Innocence? I thought I was a whore with multiple venereal_ diseases....

" And if I refuse?" _What, Solo, what are you going to do that you haven't already done? That my parents, Plutt and life itself haven't already done to me?_

"You’ll either submit to me .. or Maz and those low-lives she calls friends are going to pay the prize."

Her lower lip starts to tremble and she bites it hard to stop it.

H-how?

As if he read her mind he nodded to the glove box.

She opened it. There was a manila envelope in there. She took it, and hesitantly look inside. A few pages and a flash drive.

She got them out and looked through the pages.

Extracts of files. Files on Maz, and Chewie and other, people. People she knew from Maz´s Castle. Apparently, all of them had extracurricular activities on the wrong side of the law. She knew that - she just wasn't aware of the details.

" That's for you, " Solo pointed at the flash drive. " I had people dug up as much information that could be of use of the police as they could. You can look at it whenever."

" You wouldn't..."

" Yes, I would. And there is more. See, I made sure that the people who acquired this for me, made sure they leave a trail to you. So the police will know exactly who to thank. I'll even send it from your school email. How do you think Maz will feel when the girl she took in, the girl she gave a home, a life, a future, has betrayed her?"

At this point, Rey could barely contain her tears. Her throat was tight, her world was closing in. She felt trapped. She was trapped.

"You are a monster!" 

She stared back at him - and found his eyes full of hurt.

"Yes, I am," there was no menace in his voice when he said those words - only misery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things, guys  
> The sentences in cursive are Rey's inner voice.  
> Also, I know in the previous chapter I put Rey's age at 17, but thinking about it she should be 18. :)  
> Enjoy.


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